(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to liquid crystal display (LCD) devices.
(b) Description of the Related Art
The liquid crystal display (LCD) is one of various flat panel display devices that have been widely used in electronic devices, such as televisions, computer monitors, and mobile phones. A typical LCD may include two panels having field generating electrodes (such as a pixel electrode and a common electrode) and may include a liquid crystal layer interposed between the display panels.
The LCD generates an electric field in the liquid crystal layer by applying voltages to the field generating electrodes. The electric field may affect orientations of liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer to control transmission of incident light, such that the liquid crystal display may display a desired image.
The LCD may also include switching elements connected to respective pixel electrodes. The LCD may further include a plurality of signal lines such as gate lines and data lines for controlling the switching elements and for applying voltages to the pixel electrodes.
Among various types of LCDs, the vertical alignment (VA) mode LCD, which aligns LC molecules such that the long axes of the LC molecules are perpendicular to the panels in the absence of an electric field, may be advantageous because of its high contrast ratio and wide reference viewing angle.
Among various types of the vertical alignment (VA) mode LCDs, the super vertical alignment (SVA) mode LCD, which performs pretilt by using an alignment member such as a mesogen, has been researched. A typical SVA mode LCD typically has a minute slit pattern. The pitch of a minute slit may be reduced for improving optical characteristics such as transmittance and the response speed of liquid crystal molecules. Nevertheless, if the pitch of the minute slit is small, the influence of a vertical electric field applied to the liquid crystal layer may increase. As a result, the lateral visibility of the SVA mode LCD may be deteriorated.
The above information is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.